arrive at her hotel, the woman tells Chuck that she was just another one of his father's lovers. Blair sees through the lies, and she takes Elizabeth aside to tell her that Chuck has been in pain his entire life because he thinks that he killed his mother. She implores her to talk to Chuck if she can ease his pain in any way. Later, Elizabeth tries to call Chuck, but he doesn't answer his phone. Rufus returns from a skiing trip, and he won't return Lily's calls. He confronts her regarding the letter stating that she stayed in a hotel with Serena's father when she was supposed to be taking care of her mother. Lily reveals that they only kissed, but Rufus is angered that she kept the kiss a secret for so long. He leaves her in order to clear his head, but he ends up in Holland's apartment. Then, Jenny saves the day at the dinner when she finds Serena's coat on the floor of the closet. She tells the coat check girl to give it to the ambassador's daughter. Grateful, Damien tries to flirt when Jenny, but she tells him that if he wants a date, he needs to ask. Far from the state dinner, Dan calls Vanessa after he learns of his father's marriage troubles. Vanessa has been avoiding him since Thanksgiving, and she won't return his calls. Reception "The Hurt Locket" received mixed reviews with Leighton Meester's performances receiving critical acclaim. Isabelle Carreau of TV Squad praised Meester's performance, praising her decision to stand by Chuck and throwing away her chance to meet the French Ambassador. Enid Portuguez, from Los Angeles Times, cited Blair's maturity in the episode when she did not believe Elizabeth's lies. Portuguez further praised the episode, stating "when contrasted with the vulnerability that they show each other privately, we truly see why they're the show's most compelling relationship", referencing Chuck and Blair as the power-couple of the show. Jennifer Sankowski, from TV Guide, enjoyed the fact that the show's writers finally put Serena and Nate as couple by saying that "the two of them were adorably giddy" in the episode. Also, L.J. Gibbs, from TV Fanatic, gave the episode a 3.5 out of 5 stars, and Jacob, from Television Without Pity, gave the episode a C rating. References External links 2010 American television episodes Gossip Girl (season 3) episodes Television